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July 11, 1933. V A. P. BALL El AL DOOR DOVETAIL INVENTORS flzberi PBGZZ 471d Filed Dec. 21, 1929 ATTORNEYS."

Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT P. BALL AND WILLIAM E. HANN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN; SAID HANN ASSIGNOR TO SAID BALL DOOR DOVETAIL Application filed December 21, 1929. Serial No. 415,843.

This invention relates to door dovetails.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved door dovetail which will guide the door into position and securely hold it from rattling when closed in such position; to provide a door dovetail which is constructed entirely of non-perishable parts so as to have a long and efficient life; to provide a door dovetail of narrow dimensions so as to fit upon a relatively thin door post; to provide a door dovetail having a pair of spaced non-resilient blocks which are slidable rearwardly a lesser distance than the distance travelled by the entering wedge, and to provide a door dovetail of this construction in which the non-resilient blocks offer a minimum of resistance to the entering wedge member which is embraced therebetween.

An illustrative embodiment of this inven- 5 tion is shown-in the accompanying drawing,

in which: 7

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the rear side of the wedge member of the door dovetail.

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the cooperating female door dovetail member with the cover plate shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewtaken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the male member mounted on the swinging edge of the door and the cooperating receiving member mounted on the jam face of a door frame.

Fig. 5 is a phantom view of the members when in engagement with each other.

This invention is an improvement on that shown in the application of Albert P. Ball, Serial No. 397,816, filed October 7th, 1929, one of the joint inventors hereof. Due to the modern types of body construction in which the body pillars are relatively thin for the purpose of permitting greater 4 5 visibility, it is desirable to have a door dovetail which is similarly small in dimension from front to rear. As pointed out in the above mentioned co-pending application, the "non-resilient blocks which em race opposite sides of the wedge member are slidable rearwardly in their supporting housing against the action of suitable spring means. With such a construction a very powerful and secure wedging action is secured for holding the male member of the door dovetail so that 5 the door to which it is attached is firmly and securely retained against vibrational movement relatively to the door frame in which it is mounted.

In the construction shown in the drawing of the present application the male member, as is customary in such constructions, comprises a plate 6 which is adapted to be secured to the jam face of the free swinging edge of a door 7. The outer face of the plate 6 is provided with a protruding wedge 8, preferably integrally formed on the plate.

The cooperating female member of the door dovetail comprises a sheet metal housing 9 which has a recess 13 formed therein by depressing the metal to form a pair of flat top and bottom walls 10 and 11, respectively. The walls 10 and 11 diverge rear- Wardly and a rear Wall 12 for the recess, is formed by turning up a marginal strip or flap along the rear side of the housing plate from which the device is formed.

A pair of non-resilient blocks 14 and 15 of identical construction are slidably mounted within the recess 13 in bearing contact against the top and bottom walls 10 and 11. A de scription of one of these blocks will suflice for both. The outer edge of the block which contacts with its recess wall is curved, as shown at 16, so that the block is rockable within certain limits on its supporting wall. In general outline, as shown in Fig. 2, the block is tapered forwardly so that the adjacent inner faces 17 form an open-ended V with respect to the front of the casing for receiving the wedge 8 of the male member. The front end of each block is provided with a forwardly facing notch 18, which is adapted to embrace a lug or tab 19, which is struck inwardly from the floor of the recess, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

Between the notch 18 and the inner face 17 each of the blocks is provided with a for wardly extending finger 20 which projects beyond the outer face of the recess through 100 the front open end thereof, thus providing widely spaced guides for the wedge 8.

The rear end of each of the blocks is provided with a bore 21 which houses one end of a. helical compression spring 22. The spring 22 is interposed between the rear edge of theblock and the inner side of the rear wall 12, its opposite end abutting against the rear wall 12 and being held in position by a lu or tab 23, which is struck inwardly from said rear wall.

Means are provided for lubricating the wedges so that they will slide freely on their respective walls and comprise a lubricant saturated wick 24, which is housed within the helical compression spring 22. A cover plate 25 of sheetmetal is provided for closing the outer side of the recess and retaining the blocks therein; The cover plate 25 is suitably notched out at 26 to provide an opening for receiving the wedge 8 of the male member 6, and through which the guide fingers 20 of the blocks 14and 15 protrude when the dovetail members are not in engaged position with each other. The coverplate may be secured to the housing 9 by spot-welding or the like and the housing 9 and the plate 25 are drilled in registry for receiving attaching screws 27 for securing the member to the jam face of a door frame 28.

In body construction where the jam face of the door frame is sheet metal, the housing 9 is secured to the rear side of the jam face, which thus serves as the cover plate.

. In the operation of this device when the wedge member 8 enters between the-inner walls 17 of the blocks 14 and 15 and engages therewith, the blocks slide rearwardly on there respective diverging walls and at the same time travel outwardly with respect to the line of travel of the wedge 8 by reason of such diverging walls. By reason of the wedges travelling in diverging paths, the space therebetween becomes larger as the blocks travel rearwardly, thus permitting the wedge 8 of the male member to enter further therebetween. Thus the blocks travel a much lesser distance rearwardly after contacting with the wedge than the wedge itself travels between its time of engagement with the blocks and when in its final position.

By pushing one of the blocks 14 or 15 slightly to the rear, the other block may then be removed through the opening in the front of the casing by pushing it rearwardly until its notch 18 is unhooked from its lock 19, then moved toward the other block and released thereby permitting its spring to move it forwardly out of the opening. This arto slide rearwardly with much less resistance than is present in the case where these walls are parallel with each other.

The compression springs 22 which are interposed between the rear edges of the blocks and the rear walls of the recess, constantly urge the blocks forwardly so as to secure a firm wedging action between the male member and the walls of the recess, thereby preventing rattling and shaking of the door relatively to its door frame. Wear of-the blocks is automatically taken up by this construction, no adjustment or replacement of parts being necessary.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims:

What we claim is:

1. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail wedge member, rearwardly diverging top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess on said diverging walls, and resilient means urging said blocks towards the front of said housmg.

2. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, opposite walls of said recess being rearwardly diverging with respect to each other, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess-in rockable bearing contact with said Walls, and resilient means urging said blocks towards one limit of their sliding movement.

3. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail wedge member, rearwardly diverging top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess in rockable contact on said diverging walls, and resilient means urging said blocks towards the front of said housing.

4. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, the front of. said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail wedge member, rearwardly diverging top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess on said diverging walls, the portions of said blocks in contact with said walls being curved to permit rocking of said blocks, and resilient means urging said blocks towards the front of said housing.

5. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, opposite walls of said recess being nonparallel with respect to each other, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess in bearing contact with said walls, the outer edges of said blocks being curved, the inner edges thereof diverging forwardly, the forward edges thereof havin notches therein, guides on said housing or entering said notches to retain said blocks, and yielding means interposed between the rear edges of said blocks and the rear wall of said recess for urging said blocks toward the front of said recess.

6. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess there in, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail wedge member, top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess on said walls, said blocks having guiding fingers on the forward edges thereof for extending through said recess opening for engaging and guiding said wedge member, and resilient means urging said blocks towards the front of said housing.

7. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess on said walls, the forward ends of said blocks having notches therein, guides on said housing for entering said notches to retain said blocks, said blocks having fingers on the forward edges thereof for extending through said recess opening, and resilient means urging said blocks towards the front of said housing.

8. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a housing having a recess therein, opposite walls of said recess being nonparallel with respect to each other, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess in bearing contact with said transverse walls, helical compression springs interposed between said blocks and one side of said recess for urging said blocks towards one limit of their sliding movement, and lubricating means housed within said springs.

.9. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a sheet metal housing having a recess therein, a pair of door dovetail wedge members engaging blocks slidably mounted in said recess, helical compression springs interposed between said blocks and one side of said recess, inwardly struck portions on said casing for retaining the ends of said springs which contact with said recess wall, and inwardly struck housing portions at the opposite side of said recess for engaging said blocks.

10. A door dovetail member comprising, in combination, a sheet metal housing having a recess therein, the front of said recess having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail wedge member, rearwardly diverging top and bottom walls in said recess, a pair of nonresilient forwardly tapered blocks slidably mounted in said recess on said top and bottom walls, the portions of said blocks in contact with said walls being curved to permit rocking of said blocks, the front end of each of said blocks having a notch therein and a finger thereon for protruding through said recess front opening, portions of said casing being struck inwardly to engage in said notches, the rear end of each of said blocks having a bore therein, helical compression springs each having one end housed in said bores, and the other end thereof abutting against the rear wall of said recess, the rear wall of said housing having inwardly struck portions for engaging the abutting ends of said springs, and a lubricant carrying wick housed within each of said springs.

11. A door dovetail member comprising in combination, a sheet metal housing having a recess therein, a pair of blocks slidably mounted in said recess, the rear ends of said blocks having sockets therein, helical compression springs having one end thereof seated in said sockets and the respective other ends thereof bearing against the rear Wall of said housing and lugs'struck in from the rear wall of said housing for engaging the rear ends of said compression springs.

12. A door dovetail member comprising in' combination, a sheet metal housing havin a recess therein, a pair of door dovetail we go member engaging blocks slidably mounted in said recess, helical compression springs interposed between said blocks and one side of said recess, and inwardly struck housing portions in the opposite side of said recess for engaging said blocks.

13. A door dovetail member comprising, a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, a pair of blocks sidably mounted in said recess, means normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said opening.

14. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, a pair of blocks movably mounted in said recess, means normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than larger than one block to enable withdrawing the latter from said recess through said open- 16. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, a pair of blocks in said recess and mounted for relative movement therein, and means normally retaining the blocks within-the recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said openin 17 1% door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening. a pair of blocks movably mounted in said recess, yielding means normally urging said blocks against said front walls, said front walls normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said opening.

18. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening, a pair of blocks movably mounted in said recess, helical compression springs bearing between the housing recess walls and the rear ends of said blocks respectively for normally urging the front ends of said blocks against said front walls,

said front Walls normally retaining saidblocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable Withdrawing it from the recess through said open- 19. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member,.opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening, a pair of rigid metal blocks movably mounted in said recess, yielding means normally urging said blocks against said front walls, said front walls normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said opening.

20. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening, a pair of rigid metal blocks movably mounted in said recess, helical compression springs bearing between the housing recess walls and the rear ends of said blocks respectively for normally urging the front ends of said blocks against said front walls, said front walls normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said opening.

21. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening, a pair of blocks mounted for relative movement in said recess, yielding means normally urging said blocks against said front walls, said front walls normally retaining said blocks within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the v recess through said opening.

22. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having a recess therein, the front of said housing having an opening therein for receiving a door dovetail member, opposing front walls on said housing bounding opposite sides of said opening, a pair of blocks mounted for relative movement in said recess, helical compression springs bearing between the housing recess walls and the rear ends of said blocks respectively for normally urging the front ends of said blocks against said front walls, said front walls normally retaining said blocks Within said recess, said front opening being larger than one block to enable withdrawing it from the recess through said opening.

ALBERT P. BALL. WILLIAM E. HANN.. 

